Home and Away have cast Chris Hemsworth's younger cousin Luke Van Os as new character, Xander:


Digital Spy article:


Home and Away casts Chris Hemsworth's younger cousin Luke Van Os in new role
Chris gave Luke a sound piece of advice.

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hom...ris-hemsworth/

Home and Away has welcomed a new cast member, and it looks like he has some pretty famous relatives.

Luke Van Os ? the younger cousin of Chris, Liam and Luke Hemsworth ? will soon make his debut in the popular Australian soap.

The 24-year-old actor has already started filming his scenes as newcomer Xander, but fans will only get to catch him on screen next year.

Van Os is related to the Hemsworths through his father, who is the brother of the Hollywood stars' mother, Leonie.

It sounds like Luke has a good relationship with his cousins, particularly Chris, who gave him a wise piece of advice ahead of his audition.

"I actually zoomed with Chris the night before and we ran [the scene] and kind of just got into a good headspace," Van Os said in an interview with Australia's The Daily Telegraph.

"His advice was be nice, put in the work and the work doesn't end now, if anything this is when you need to work hard," he added.

Like his younger cousin, the Thor star also featured on Home and Away, where he played Kim Hyde between 2004 and 2007.

After leaving the long-running soap, Chris moved to Los Angeles where he booked a small role on 2009's Star Trek and the rest is Marvel history.

In 2010, he was cast as the Norse god in the first Thor movie, directed by Kenneth Branagh. Hemsworth also appeared in Paul Feig's Ghostbusters and Men in Black: International.

Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.15pm and 6pm on Channel 5 (UK) and Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 (Australia). Selected classic episodes are available via Amazon Prime Video in the UK.



And the original Daily Telegraph article:

"Chris Hemsworth?s cousin Luke Van Os gets breakthrough role
The night before his biggest audition yet, Luke Van Os ran through lines with his Hollywood superstar cousin, Chris Hemsworth. And the practice paid off.

The night before his biggest audition yet, Luke Van Os ran through lines with his Hollywood superstar cousin, Chris Hemsworth.

It paid off with van Os following in Hemsworth's footsteps by landing a job on TV soap Home and Away.

?When I was asked for a callback for the chemistry test, I actually zoomed with Chris the night before and we ran it (the scene) and kind of just got into a good headspace,? Van Os told The Daily Telegraph.

?His advice was be nice, put in the work and the work doesn?t end now, if anything this is when you need to work hard. I have been auditioning and acting for eight years now and that in itself is hard work but now everyone thinks you have got the job but that is where the hard work starts ? keep your head down, don?t get distracted.?

Van Os, 24, recently moved from Melbourne to Sydney after scoring the coveted gig and began shooting his first scenes this week. His character, Xander, will make his on-screen debut in 2022.

Hemsworth was 21 when he landed his job playing Kim Hyde on the soap, learning his craft before becoming one of our top acting exports.

Home and Away is Van Os' breakthrough role.

?Acting has been my passion for such a long time and for me to be able to make a living, pay my bills and do this every day is a dream,? Van Os said. ?Endless people have come and done this show and gone on to have extremely long careers and I am just hoping that is what I can do, acting and making a living for as long as I can.?

Van Os? dad, Robert, is brother to Hemsworth?s mum, Leonie.

Like Hemsworth 38, and his actor siblings ? Luke and Liam ? Van Os is passionate about health and fitness.

?I always try and stay healthy,? he said.

?I work out and eat well. Being fit and healthy makes me feel better mentally, which allows me to do my job better.?

Of his actor cousins, he added: ?It is good that they have paved the way for me because I have got all of their insights so they have been a huge help over the years. I am fortunate.? "